Siblings Forever
by Credo-Spero-Fides
Summary: 1st in series. This is all about Ari, Ziva and Tali growing up in Israel with appearances of some of our favourite characters. Warning: AUish, child abuse, spanking of minors
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Hey, this is going to be a part of my newly created 'Siblings' series. Actually it is the first one. Ari= 11yrs, Ziva = 6yrs and Tali = 3yrs**

A small girl with curly brown hair was sobbing into the pillow on her bed. Her whole small body trembled as she tried to control herself.

"Abba won't like it if you're still crying," a taller, gangly boy, no more than five years older than her, informed her.

"Shut up, Ari, its sore," hissed the girl, sitting up and wincing as she did so. There were tears coating her cheeks.

Ari glared at her and snapped, "Unless you want another whipping for being so weak, I suggest you shut up, Ziva."

"Shh, shh!" whispered a smaller girl with ribbons tying her light brown curls in pigtails. "Abba no like it when you cry, Zizi! He get all angry."

Ari and Ziva jumped when the little girl spoke, as if they had no idea that they were there.

"Tali! You scared me!" exclaimed Ziva and jumped off her bed (painfully may I add) and ran over to her baby sister. Ziva hugged Tali tenderly and wiped away her tears. "Why are you sad, Tali? Did you get in Abba's way?"

The dark eyed boy snorted. "You shouldn't baby her, Ziva. She has to be tough. You know that just as well as I do."

"_Ta'ase li tova _[give me a break]. Abba just whipped me for getting a black eye from Zeev Zimman."

Tali gave her a confused look. "He hurt you!"

Ziva nodded, rubbing her abused backside and lower back. "_Ken _[yes] but he said that I shouldn't have gotten any injury, he trained me better than that."

"That's unfair!" protested Ari, uncharacteristically; he was normally a warmer version of their father when it came to training. "He's my age and massive. There's no way you could've hit him without some worse injury."

Ziva shrugged, her unruly curls bouncing off her shoulders. "It is like you said, Ari. I must be tough."

Ari sighed heavily. It was times like these when he wished Eli David was a softer sort of man. He wanted to go along with his father and say that Ziva should toughen up but he was her big brother. He wanted her not to cry but to smile and laugh. She should be playing with her dolls, not being chastised for not fighting correctly. She was only six!

"Abba shouted at me," piped up Tali. "That why I come here."

Ziva frowned at her, "You should improve your English, Tali. You don't want to make Abba angry."

All three children shuddered. Their father's wrath was something they all did their very best to avoid.

"I miss Ima," sniffled Tali, tears appearing in her eyes.

Ari shook her hard. "Don't cry," he told her. "Your Ima is better away from here."

Ziva glared at the wall so Tali wouldn't see her. Two months ago their mother had just left them all without a word. Not that Ziva thought of Rivka David as her mother because the woman had always been so cold towards her children unless she wanted to show off what 'pretty darlings' they were. Ziva soon wrecked that opinion by being the best tom boy she could be. So Rivka just poured all of her 'affection' onto Tali.

"Wish we were away from all of this," muttered Ziva.

Ari rolled his eyes. "We have a duty to our country. Remember that." He recited then asked, "You have been practising your kickboxing?"

"Yes, the teacher says that I am becoming better every lesson."

"You need to be the best, Ziva." Ari told her. "Or you won't get anywhere."

His little sister rubbed her knuckles across her eyes and sniffled a little. Not being able to keep up the cold facade any longer, Ari pulled Ziva close and hugged her tightly.

"Hush, little shadow," Ari comforted her using his pet name for her because she always followed him so silently. Ziva buried her face into his chest, not crying but wanting all the comfort she could get.

Tali cocked her head to the side like an inquisitive dog. "Why Zizi crying, Ari?"

"I am not crying!" Ziva protested vehemently, crossing her skinny arms across her chest.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Ari=11, Ziva=6 and Tali=3**

Ziva was reading a story to Tali so she would lie down for bed. Ari had chosen the tale, _The Princess of the Tower_.

The story was one of many Jewish Fairy Tales but such nonsense was not allowed in the David Household. When Ziva was Tali's age Ari had copied the stories out of a library book into a lined school book to entertain her away from their father and now he and Ziva regaled them to Baby Tali. Though, Ziva enjoyed the stories just as much as Tali did.

Tali adored her elder siblings and was always happy to spend some time with them which unfortunately meant that it took her a while to get to sleep.

"Your head needs to be on the pillow for you to sleep, Tali," Ziva scolded gently.

The toddler pouted but did as she was bid, or else Ziva wouldn't read. She had learnt that the hard way when she sat up waiting for Ziva to read for half an hour before she gave in. The obstinate toddler may try her hardest to get her own way but Ziva was far more stubborn!

"_Pick the one you love the best, Solima dear," _said Ziva in an attempt at a deep voice, making Tali giggle.

"None!" Tali answered, her grey eyes, so like yet unlike their father's, shining with glee. She knew this story well.

Ziva smiled and continued with the story, "_Dear, dear me-that is very awkward. We shall have to return the entrance fees-I mean the presents_,"

Even Ari chuckled at that line.

"Let Ari be the King, ZiZi," Tali instructed sleepily as she always did when Ziva and Ari read to her.

Ari always refused at first, normally claiming he was busy but he always listened as Ziva read. Eventually either he or Tali would get annoyed at Ziva's attempts at a masculine voice and the book would be shared between the two siblings to get the story finished 'properly'.

Ziva pretended to sigh exasperatedly but held out the book to Ari, who moved from his spot against the pale pink walls so he was next to Ziva.

"'_At least,' he said, growing impatient, 'tell me what you do want.'_"

"'_I will marry any man,' she replied, while he wondered gravely what else she could have said, 'who is not such a fool as to think himself the only person in the world who is of consequence.' _"

"What does con-teh-wense mean?" Tali questioned, rubbing her eyes.

"It means that the princess will only like a man who thinks he is just the same as everyone else," Ari explained with a fond smile.

"Oh," said Tali with an adorable thoughtful face. "Why did he not just say that then?"

Ari chuckled, "I do not know, Natalia."

Tali pouted, with the stuck out bottom lip and doe eyes to perfect the look. "Don't call me Natalia! My name is Tali, see? TAH-LEE."

"Shh, _sheli _[precious]. You do not want Abba to come up here," warned Ziva.

Tali, realising the severity of that happening, quickly fell silent and placed a finger on her lips in an imitation of Ziva and Ari when they wanted her to be silent. Ziva hugged her and smoothed her unruly curls.

Ari carefully placed the book on the floor and joined his sisters on the bed. He made sure that he was in the middle so he could keep both of them safe. There was no sound coming from downstairs so Eli was most likely in his study, working like he always did. His little sisters curled into him, their curls tickling his nose. He would never complain though. Ari knew how important they were to him, unlike some of the boys at his school who despised their younger siblings.

The three siblings made an odd bunch, lying in Tali's bed with Ziva's left unoccupied, with Tali in her little pink footie pyjamas, Ziva in odd pyjamas (a pair of blue bottoms with a yellow top with a smiling bear) and Ari in his navy bottoms and white undershirt. Both Tali's and Ziva's heads were on Ari's chest, their small hands clutching a rabbit and bear respectively. Together, they all fell asleep like that, peacefully for once.

**AN: The story will properly flow in a chapter or two. Btw, the story I mentioned actually exists. Check it out! And in case anyone is wondering...**

**Ziva's favourite: _The Star Child_**

**Ari's Favourite: _The Beggar King_**


End file.
